Whitewash Studio Architecture Podcast

As Architects we hear this all the time. Form follows function.

Remember those phrases that stand out from Architecture school. Burned in your mind. This one is the most popular. Let’s dig into what it means.

Don’t design Architecture for beauty sake.

A post shared by Marc Sawyer (@wwsarchitecture) on Oct 9, 2019 at 2:27am PDT

It must function first. So how do we do this when we have pinterest and houzz and images thrown at us daily on instagram. Don’t most your clients come to you with an idea of how they want it to look.

Designing around a look has backed a tremendous amount of architects into a corner. It looks good. But add people and it falls apart.

Architecture has to serve the people who inhabit it first.

Focus on the people. What are their needs? How do they live or work? This will direct the function. Then form will follow.

What happens many times is the saying form follows function leads many Architects to think that function drives the form. That the function sets the stage and it directs the form. Tells it what it needs to be.

This isn’t true. Form follows. Meaning it comes after. It doesn’t mean it accepts the function without question.

When we look at great works vs so so everyday buildings. There’s this thought that a steril building has been driven by the function. Like a warehouse. A hospital or office building. Those are examples of form following function. Wrong. Those are examples of function without form. The form was never part of the equation.

To create Architecture. Beautiful Architecture you have to work on the aesthetic. It’s necessary to complete the needs of the design.

On your next project think about function. How will the space interact with the human element? Then think about form. What will form bring to the design?

Form follows function. It’s not told what to do by it.

Anytime we start something new we are going to have expectations. They could be good or bad. Depending on your outlook on the project.

What we have to do as architects is not only take our expectations into account but take those of our clients into account.

A post shared by Marc Sawyer (@wwsarchitecture) on Sep 30, 2019 at 2:10am PDT

They’re going to have opinions and a set vision in their mind for how the project is going to go. They might have a finished image in their mind. But, as we know from experience, the initial idea will evolve and change.

This creates a disconnect between our expectation and reality. The vision or idea your client had might fall apart. That could ultimately be a good or bad thing.

Have you ever had your heart set on something. You knew something was going to be a certain way. Then when you found out it couldn’t because of some reason or another you were disappointed. This will happen with your clients.

They have a vision from either looking on the web or in magazines at home renovations. They get fixated. This can either become a reality for them or it can’t.

There might be restrictions that force it to change. A limited budget or the lack of available space. There are a number of reasons our expectations could be lowered.

You as the Architect need to elevate and create new expectations. Take the current idea that’s not feasible and shift it into an idea that works. Something unique to your client’s situation.

Do this in a way that doesn’t shatter your clients expectations but rather evolves them into new ideas and excitement.

On your next project, try to understand what expectations your client has. How can you meet or exceed those expectations. Be sure to express what it is you’re expecting as well. It boils down to communication.

One of the most important skills you can build as an architect is the ablitiy to drawing by hand. When I think of the ability to draw, I don’t mean realistic amazing works of art.

I mean communicative drawing.

A post shared by Marc Sawyer (@wwsarchitecture) on Sep 22, 2019 at 10:17am PDT

Being able to draw and explain an idea or difficult concept clearly. To see an idea is huge for our clients. This is why VR and 3d modeling have taken off so much.

But before you get to the place of VR you have to get your idea understood. A quick Sketch allows you to do that. When you’re meeting with a client, how often do you take out your pen and trace paper? How often do you sketch ideas in front of your clients?

Sketching with the client is a very important part of my process. For one it brings them into the design. It allows them to take part in the creation. More importantly it allows you and your clients to communicate an idea so you both know you were both understood.

It breaks down the barriers of visualization. As architects you’ve been trained to see things in a certain way. To elevate plans into three dimensions or to visualize spaces around you. Not everyone is used to doing that, so it takes extra communication of an idea to allow the visuals to sink in.

Sketching allows you to communicate as a designer.

In your next client meeting take out the trace paper and sketch your ideas out for them. Right there in the moment. You’ll see how engaging the meeting becomes.

I want to talk about something I do a lot. It tends to paralyze me. It keeps me from moving forward on a project or goal because what’s out in front of me looks too hard. I’m talking about complexity.

A post shared by Marc Sawyer (@wwsarchitecture) on Sep 15, 2019 at 6:17am PDT

We add complexity to everything. Even the simplest things. We over complicate. I’m speaking to myself.

The complexity I create gets into my head. It makes me think the project needs to be more difficult than it has to be. It could be simplified.

Why do we over complicate? We have a lot of ideas. Some of them good and some terrible. But there our ideas so they are kinda precious, know what I mean. We want to fit them all in some how. They could add something of value.

It’s difficult to filter those ideas down. So we try to work them all into the project. When in reality we need simplicity. Eliminate the distractions and simplify the idea.

Don’t get too attached to your ideas. They don’t have to go into this project. If the idea is good it can wait. It could be the key ingredient to another project.

Focus on creating the simplest thing you can. Don’t add complexity when you don’t need to. I’m going to give you an example.

When I was in architecture school we have these studio classes. There about three hours a day where we develop our ideas around an actual project. Focusing on one problem for hours at a time.

It could be the simplest of problems, but we would over complicate it. We’d try to fit more into the idea by over complicating it and adding complexity.

Cool ideas would come up during the creative process. We could do this or that. or this. You want to work them all into the project. So you start to say well this space speaks to this idea. Then this space transitions to this other idea.

See how they’re connected? Hmm not really.

The building becomes this hodgepodge of information that makes no sense to anybody. You over complicated it. You added too much complexity.

Simplify. One concept. Pick an idea and let that be your driver. Another idea comes up. Ok jot it down and put it aside for right now. You don’t want this shiny new idea to disrupt your simplicity.

Complexity will stop you from taking action. It will keep you in this hamster wheel of confusion. Simplify what it is your doing.

I almost don’t like to talk about things like this for fear of jinxing myself. But I want to mention backing up your work.

A post shared by Marc Sawyer (@wwsarchitecture) on Sep 8, 2019 at 2:59am PDT

It’s important for us, as Architects, to back up our work. Your creating digital files. These days most our work is created digitally. Iteration after iteration of pixels on the screen.

Don’t only save the current files but to save the iterations of your work. When you do this, focus on your local backup but also get same backup off site. It’s actually pretty easy to do these days.

I remember when I first started in architecture. We had these large tape backup machines and each day the server would be written to tape. Each week the tapes would be swapped out with the bank. We actually took the tape to the bank and dropped it off in a safe deposit box. It was a huge amount of intellectual property.

Now it’s as easy as having an internet connection. Everything is seamlessly backing up in realtime as we work. The key now and after talking to many people about this in the past is to ensure that it is in fact working. You have to check to make sure it’s working.

Making it easy has caused us to forget about it. To assume it’s being taken care of. Double check each week or each day if you are really concerned. Double check the off site server to ensure your files are there. But don’t rely only on that. Have a local backup as well.

You should never have to use the online backup. Its for a catastrophe. The local is what you go to first. I have a series of hard drives that work as a raid. They mirror each other and copy the files to a backup drive automatically.

A raid allows you to have one copy and have it duplicate itself automatically. It’s actually an ingenious setup and makes redundancy very easy. But again, you need to ensure it’s working. Take precautions with your work. Back up.

I wanted to talk about attitude and how important it is to your work as an architect.

As architects we’re often thought to be pompous ego driven personalities. Some of us have those characteristics but most of us don’t. What we do have is conviction.

We believe in the solution we’ve created. We’ve spent hours working through concepts to arrive at a solution.

Sometimes this conviction is misinterpreted as ego because we don’t add another key ingredient. A positive attitude.

To be a good architect you have to let the ego go. Don’t let the fact that you might not have thought of that approach keep you from considering it.

Your clients could be better served by removing the ego. Architecture would be better served by removing the ego.

The best way to do this is to have a positive attitude towards the work you do and your clients ideas.

Attitude is everything.

Listen to your client. Discover what they need. Interpret what it is they’re telling you. Looking at things in a positive light could shed new insight. The worst thing you could do for your clients is assume you alone have all the answers.

Don’t let your ego get in between you and your clients success.

It’s impossible to have an ego when you’re serving your client with a positive attitude.

Show Notes:

Communicate to your clients effectively with 3d modeling

Sketchup Course for Architects

Earn trust and have less changes

Communicating your ideas is necessary.

Spending hours creating your solution is not the last step. If you can’t convince your client your solution is the right solution, it doesn’t matter how good it is. They are not going to buy into it.

MAYBE YOU CAN RELATE?

Would it surprise you to hear the solution to your problems is 3d modeling?

Crafting the idea is important and I know you know how to do that. But getting an idea into something your clients can visualize is hanging you up.

Creating compelling spaces people can immerse themselves in is an incredibly valuable skill. That’s why I have created the Sketchup for Architects Course.

Show Notes:

Virtual Reality

If you have a question for me I would love to hear it. You can email me at [email protected]. If you would like to connect with me on Twitter I’m @wwsarchitecture and the same on Instagram @wwsarchitecture

Show Notes:

Design Brief

Last week we talked about the design brief. We talked about outlining a plan of action and evaluating your goals. This week I want to talk about the next stage after the design brief and that is the As-builts.

As-builts of your home are probably one of the most important steps in the process. They are the foundation for which all the drawings are going to be created. They formulate the framework for decisions we make in the beginning.

The measuring can be done in several different methods. There are companies and people out there that will come in with scanning equipment and setup in each room. Scan the space and create a detailed 3d model of each space. The there are people that hand draw the plan on site and start creating the dimensions by hand using a tape measure.

In my book the tape measure is out. It would take me forever to use it accurately. Especially when measuring a house that someone is living in. I instead use a laser to capture the dimensions.

The accuracy of the dimensions is very important. They can make or break a decision on whether a particular design might work. It would be typical to measure a home to the 1/2 or 1 inch increment. Beyond that level of accuracy, I have found is not necessary.

Like I mentioned earlier I use a laser to quickly take measurements as I draw the space. I will put a link to lasers I have used in the past as well as one that I have just ordered. I am exploring a new application that would allow me to quickly and accurately measure a space using the laser connected through blue tooth to my iPhone.

It’s still in beta mode for me. I have to ensure it works without fail every-time before I can trust something like it. And the reason is that these measurements are like I said, setting the foundation. They are used to evaluate the various levels of your home and make decisions on how the structural is being loaded. Where systems might be in walls and floors.

Although it’s important to evaluate the systems as best we can they are still behind walls or sealed spaces. I can take an educated guess as to where and how they are run through your home but will not know until the walls are pealed back in an area. It’s not surprising to find pipes in areas that are unexpected. When remodeling be aware that this will happen and maintain a contingency to deal with situations that might have cost impacts on the project.

Not taking the time to fully understand a space and its dimensions can be detrimental to the project. You might find that dimensions don’t seem to align. Or something is off. It’s important to find those areas and pin down the reason. Often times it will be a furred wall or structural element that could be hidden behind a wall. These challenging areas can tell you a lot about what is behind the wall simply through measuring and discovering an inconsistency.

As these drawings or measurements start to get hard-lined into the computer you might find additional areas that need more information. This is when something like lots of photographs comes into play. I take a massive amount of photos after measuring. I wait to take them until I’m done because I can go in sequence from room to room using a method so there is consistency to the documentation. It’s important to be sure and get each wall and the general ceiling. Having those pre-construction photos are extremely useful.

By taking the time to thoroughly document your space, we are taking the time to build a solid base from which to begin the process. Now is not a time to quickly gloss over the details. Take the time. I would allow for 2-3 hours for an extensive and detailed measure. If you have the tools to scan a room it could be much faster. Speed is not as important as accuracy and getting a feel for the space. I forgot to mention that while you are in the space taking these measurements, it’s a good time to get a feel for the details. You notice things that others might not if they were to quickly pass through with a scanner. Having the person measuring the space the person designing the space is actually a huge benefit in my opinion.

Thank you for listening to this weeks episode on as-builts. Next week we are going to get into the next step in my process which is the dimensioned plans of the demo and the new construction.

If you would like to have the podcast delivered to your phone please subscribe. If you have a friend or relative that you believe the show would help, I would love it if you would tell them about the show and help spread the word. If you do please let me know you did. I would like to personally thank you!

And lastly if your interested in signing up for the podcast newsletter which should be starting soon you can do so on whitewashstudio.com

Thank you for listening and I hope you have a great day and great success with your construction project!

Amazon affiliate links mentioned in the show.

If you have a question for me I would love to hear it. You can email me at [email protected]. If you would like to connect with me on Twitter I’m @wwsarchitecture and the same on Instagram @wwsarchitecture

Show Notes:

Design Brief

This week I want to talk about the next stage after the plan sketch and that is the Design Brief.

How do you know what will solve the struggles your facing? The reason we have the initial meeting is to discover these struggles. It’s used to discover your goals and based on that determine the scope of work. What’s needed in the design to solve the struggles you’re facing? I evaluate our discussion and your goals during the meeting. Your goals then get documented in what I call the Design Brief.

This is a document that defines your project. It serves as a guide for the project and give us direction throughout the process. It’s important to evaluate your needs early so we are able to set clear expectations. It allows us to set priorities for the project.

The design brief takes several components into consideration to help develop the scope. The sketch plan from earlier is refined to provide more detail and accuracy. Elements of the plan are then elevated to provide us with more of a visual experience. Many people have a difficult time understanding or visualizing space from a floor plan. It’s very helpful at these early stages to begin to develop the plan three-dimensionally.

Diagrams are created to understand the relationships of the space. Circulation, massing, and lighting are all explored early.

The design brief begins to study the look of the space. We gather inspirational images that were discussed in our meeting. Combine them with other found images after the meeting. These inspirational images are a tool used to hone in on a look. We use them to help understand your expectations and aesthetic goals.

Detail study allows us to evaluate the spaces more thoroughly. We can refine the look and feel of the spaces. Define the character of the space.

At this initial stage of the design brief, these are all explored in sketch form. These are details related to the function and aesthetics of the space. They’re not the construction details. Those details come later in the process, during the construction document phase.

As I mentioned earlier, the plan is elevated and we begin to explore the concept in three-dimensions. Areas of the plan that need exploring further are done so in massing form. These massing images are still early in the design phase. This is only the needs and options review stage. The next stage would be schematic design. The model and plan develops further. The plan’s refined based on our discussions and field measurements.

The result of the needs and options review is a design brief document. The design brief contains all the discovered goals and requirements discussed in the initial meeting. This scope of work is weighed against a preliminary construction budget and project schedule. The budget and proposed project is also evaluated based on the current market. Comparable properties in the area and their current values.

Without going through this comprehensive planning and discussion phase, the project would be like a lost wandering child in Walmart. Screaming for answers to his problems, while his parents continue to shop with headphones on. Eventually they get to the car and realize that all the clothes they just bought for their child don’t matter because they forgot the child in the store.

I don’t know if that analogy works or not. My point is that we need to have a plan and we need to follow it. You don’t want to sidetrack your project. You don’t want to get off the path of solving your struggles and achieving your goals. Take this time early in the process to create your design brief. Your guide for the project. You action plan so you know that you can complete your project with success.

Thank you for listening to this weeks episode. Next week we are going to get into the next step in my process which is the as-built stage.

If you would like to have the podcast delivered to your phone please subscribe. If you have a friend or relative that you believe the show would help, I would love it if you would tell them about the show and help spread the word. If you do please let me know you did. I would like to personally thank you!

And lastly if your interested in signing up for the podcast newsletter which should be starting soon you can do so on whitewashstudio.com

Thank you for listening and I hope you have a great day and great success with your construction project!

If you have a question for me I would love to hear it. You can email me at [email protected]. If you would like to connect with me on Twitter I’m @wwsarchitecture and the same on Instagram @wwsarchitecture